Long Beach's Solar Grand Prix lets creativity shine

March 10, 2014

Updated 12:17 p.m.

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Sixty-nine teams from 19 different schools and organizations in and around Long Beach compete in the fifth annual Solar Grand Prix at El Dorado Park in Long Beach on Saturday. Students grades 6-12 race solar-powered model cars they designed that are powered only by the sun. ROD VEAL, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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Paola Villalobos, left, and teacher Pech Puch, both representing Powell Elementary School, look distressed as their car doesn't make it all the way down the track. ROD VEAL, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Arlan Garcia, left, an eighth-grade student at Cubberley School, looks over his solar model with his dad, Robert Garcia, and Arres Garcia, his brother who helped him build his Rolling Thunder entry, on Saturday. ROD VEAL, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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Eli Sexton, left, and Grace Satterthwaite, both homeschoolers, cheer as their car makes it to the end of the track well ahead of the competition Saturday at the Solar Grand Prix. ROD VEAL, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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Caris White, center in red, smiles as her car makes it down the track ahead of the pack Saturday during the fifth annual Solar Grand Prix at El Dorado Park. ROD VEAL, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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Matthew Pennala, a student at St. Joseph Elementary School, works on his team vehicle, Magno Cursu. ROD VEAL, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Sixty-nine teams from 19 different schools and organizations in and around Long Beach compete in the fifth annual Solar Grand Prix at El Dorado Park in Long Beach on Saturday. Students grades 6-12 race solar-powered model cars they designed that are powered only by the sun. ROD VEAL, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

In the inspection line at the fifth annual Solar Grand Prix, there was a motley mix of solar-paneled miniature cars, some from a Frankenstein assortment of components.

The vehicles were put together with cardboard, polystyrene foam, old Christmas packaging, Legos and even the forgotten toys of younger siblings.

The 59 middle school teams waiting to have their vehicles inspected and judged were gathered as part of an outreach program to inspire innovation in solar energy among the city's youth.

And at Saturday's event at El Dorado Park, a panel of judges taking notes on the shoebox-sized cars perked up at one particular creation.

“The frame is made of carbon fiber,” Daniel Gonzales told the judges.

He and his three buddies, who called themselves team Solis, come from St. Cornelius Catholic School in Long Beach and had engineered their vehicle during four or five building sessions. They harvested the frame from a remote-controlled car and used a gold-plated connector to attach the solar panel to the gears in order to minimize interference with the electrical current.

The boys huddled over their project with ear-to-ear grins.

Joseph Taleg and Justin Strickland pointed out other hallmarks of their design: wheels from a remote-controlled airplane and specially calibrated gears.

The squad of 11-year-olds cared about only one thing.

“Our car's made for speed, not style,” Julian LaRosa, the fourth member of the team, said.

That enthusiasm is the intended result of the program, put together by City Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske, which may be in its last year.

The councilwoman is finishing her final term as representative of District 5 and plans to continue the event if she successfully wins the mayoral race. If she loses, she hopes the city's parks and recreation department will continue operating the event.

“This is one of the more popular programs we have,” she said.

The event also has a class for high school teams, with 10 participating this year.

Each year, students who sign up for the grand prix are required to attend an information session in January to go over the rules for the event. And each group receives a solar kit that costs about $30. Schipske said the event costs between $10,000 and $15,000 each year and is funded entirely by sponsors and private donations.

“It's a great opportunity for teachers to do an after-school activity that kids can get excited about,” she said. “It's for kids to be creative. There's no particular formula they have to follow.”

Last year, one team made its car out of trash it found at El Dorado Park.

The event is about breeding creativity and enthusiasm, but each team wants to win, too.

This year, it was team Solis that took home the top prize, beating the field with a time of 5.47 seconds.

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